Tricycle-horse



(No Model.)

J. N. GONE. TRICYCLE HORSE.

150.501,555. Patented m5251595.

Aflorney m: Norms PETERS co.. PHoTaLlTHo.. wAsmNGTcN, o4 c.

i UNITED STATES PATENT rricnr JOHN N. GONE, OF MINEVILLE/NEW YORK.

TRICYCLE-HORSE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 601,555, dated March29, 1898.

Application led January 5I 1897.

To @ZZ whom it mag/concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN N. OONE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Mineville, in the county of Essex and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tricycle-Horses andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention consists of certain novel constructions, combinations, andarrangements of parts, which will be hereinafter more. particularly setforth and claimed.

The invention also consists of certain other novel constructions,combinations, and arrangements of parts, all of which will behereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure1 represents a side elevation of a cycle embodying my invention. Fig. 2represents a central vertical section through the same; and Fig. 3represents a longitudinal horizontal section taken on the line a: a: ofFig. 2, looking downward.

A in the drawings represents the frame of the toy; B, the ligure, whichin the present instance isahorse O, the driving-wheels, and D thesteering-wheel. Said frame A may be fof any desired construction andmaterial, but is preferably a at platform, as shown. The horse B mayalso be of any desired construction and material, but is preferably madeof wood, as shown in the drawings, to represent as near as possible theoutlines of a horse with the saddle, bridle, &c. The driving-wheels Oare mounted upon the rear of the frame A in brackets a by means of ashaft a. This shaft is mounted in ball-bearings secured to the lowerends of said brackets and is rigidly secured to one of the said wheelsC, which latter are preferably provided with rubber tires. The shaft CLis provided with a sprocketwheel a2, which communicates with anothersprocket-wheel a3 by means of a sprocketchain a4. The sprocket-wheelasis adj ustably mounted in position upon spaced segmental rods a5,which have their respective ends secured to the under side of the horseand the upper side of the platform A. The said segments 61,5 describe anarc the center of which is the sprocket-wheel d2, so that said sprocket-Serial No. 618,040. (No model.)

wheel ai may be adj usted u p or down upon thel same to secure thedesired adjustment of the cycle for children of different sizes withoutloosening or tightening the chain a4. The said wheel as is mounted upona crank-axle a6, which is journaled in suitable ball-bearings mountedupon an adjustable clamp a7, which clamp is Vprovided withadjustingscrews a8, whereby it may be secured at any point upon thesegmental rods a5. The outer vend of the crank-axle d is provided withthe usual cranks a9 and pedals 0.10, whereby the driving-wheel O may beoperated by the feet of the child seated upon the horse. The front orsteering wheel D is mounted inthe lower forked end f of a vertical shaftF, which latter is mounted in the platform A by means of a suitableball-bearing f. The said shaft F projects upward through the body of thehorse B and is provided with a iiat apertured head f2, that projectsthrough an elongated slot f3, formedl in the plate f4, secured to theunder side of the head of the horse over asuitable recess f5, formedtherein. The said apertured head f2 is provided with alaterally-extending pin f6, whereby said head is prevented from passingout through the slot f3. The under side of the head of the horse isbeveled in opposite directions from the shaft F, so that it maybe rockedback and forth with the pin f6 as a fulcrum, said pin permitting thismovement, but preventing the head of the horse passing off the head f4.The said plate f4 is provided with an auxiliary elongated slot f7,through which passes the end of a rod f8, th'e said rod being providedwith a suitable laterally-projecting pin f5), similar to the pin f,whereby the rod is prevented from withdrawing from said plate f4, but atthe same time is allowed to rock back and forth therein as the head ofthe horse is turned. This rod f8 passes through a guiding-bracket flo,secured to the shaft F, and is connected at its lower end to anauxiliary rod fu by means of a turnbuckle f 12. The office of thislatter buckle is to lengthen or shorten the connection between thebrake-shoe and the head of the horse, so as to get the desired pressureupon the former.

The lower end of the rod f 11 is pivotally connected to a suitablebrake-shoe fls, pivoted between the bifurcated end of a screw-threadedstud fm, mounted upon the fork f, so that its free end will engage thetire upon the wheel D. A coil-springf is mounted upon the rod f8 betweenthe bracket flo and the turnbuckle fig, so as -to normally hold the headof the horse forward and the brake-shoe out Of contact with the WheelD.

The rods f8 and f turn with the rod F, as the same is operated by theturning of the horses head to operate the steering-wheel, said rodsWorking through suitable segmental slots formed in the body of the horseand the platform A.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that when it isdesired to turn the wheel D either to one side or the other the lhead of the horse is simply turned in the di- -Vrection desired by pullingupon one or the other of the reins. Should it be desired to apply thebrake, both sides Of the reins are pulled upon at the same time, thusturning the head of the horse back upon the fulcrum f6 and operating therods f8 and f11 and applying the brake-shoe fw. Upon the pressure beingremoved from the reins the head of the horse will be automaticallyreturned to its normal position by the spring f15. It is desirable in adevice of this character to have the guiding Wheel normally heldstraight, so that some little pressure is required to turn the same toone side or the other. To accomplish this, I provide the shaft F with anarm f1, ad j ustably secured thereto by a screw-bolt fw. The Outer endof this arm is bifurcated and provided with an antifriction-Wheel fis.TWO flat springs G are mounted within the horse upon opposite sides of ablock g, so that their free ends project forwardl upon oppositepsides Ofthe antifriction-wheel f 18. By this construction when the head of thehorse is turned to one side or the other the said antifrictiOn-wheel]C18engages either one or the other Of the springs G and presses the sameout of its normal position. It will thus be observed' that the head ofthe horse is held tO one side under spring tension,

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with al wheeled platform, of a figure mounted thereonand having a movable head, driving-Wheels on said platform, a shaftjournaled in the platform, and connected at one end to the movable head,a steering-Wheel at the opposite end of said shaft, a brake-shoecontiguous to one of the Wheels, and a connection between said brakeshoeand the movable head, whereby the tipping of the head will effect anapplication of the brake-shoe, substantially as described.

2. In a toy cycle, the combination with a suitable platform,of anartificial horse mounted thereon and provided with a movable head,driving-wheels mounted on said platform, a vertical shaft mounted Onsaid platform and connect-ed to the movable head at its upper end, asteering-wheel mounted On the lower end of said shaft, a brake-shoemounted on saidshaft, and means connecting said brakeshoe to the movablehead, whereby upon the tipping of the latter the brake is applied,substantiall y -as described.

3. In a toy cycle, the combination with a suitable supporting-platform,of an artificial horse mounted thereon and havinga movable head, driving-Wheels mounted under said platform, a vertical shaft mounted in saidplatform and adapted to support the movable head, so that the same maybe turned from side to side and tipped back and forth, a guiding-wheelmounted at the lower end of said shaft, a brake-shoe pivotally mountedon said shaft and adapted to engage the periphery of the guiding-wheel,and a spring-pressed rod connect-ing the movable head and saidbrakeshoe, whereby, upon the tipping Of said head the brake is applied,and said head is returned to its normal position upon the pressure beingremoved, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN N. OONE.l

Witnesses:

JACOB W. WRIGHT, CHESTER Il. MULHOLLAND.

